Opal Vapour Residency Reflections.

We’ve arrived from Yamba, NSW coast, and Melbourne to ‘meet in the middle’ at Fairfield. For the last 10 days we have been working on creating new images, sounds and movement experiments for our work enfold.

It’s been great to be surrounded by the culture and food (!) of Fairfield in the creation of this new work – as we explore themes of migration, moving shorelines and memories of water and shelter. We’ve made ourselves right at home here – as we question what does it mean to be at home? – and what do we need to make a home?

Our collaboration stated with the dance work Opal Vapour. In that show we had a huge light up ‘dancefloor’ light-box, 20kgs of sand, cameras, microphones, data projectors, three costume changes and delicate Japanese paper knitted nets. In the new piece we are creating here at PYT we are exploring a low/no tech approaching – wanting to be transportable, sustainable and light on our feet.

It’s been great to explore rehearsing in the gallery space as well as the lovely old blue theatre space at PYT – which has the springiest sprung floor ever! We have enjoyed meeting so many people – from the crew who came to our workshop and did Japanese martial arts (kiryuho) with us – to the PYT Ensemble who helped us create our opening images and gave us wonderful feedback on what they witnessed and participated in.

Over the next two days we are continuing to grow and share the work with peers, friends (and hopefully!) future presenters of the work. Then it’s one last trip to Aladdin’s sweets to eat one more round of lady’s arms before we head homewards north and south.